The Ministry of Commerce announced a final court ruling, upheld by the Qassim Court of Appeal, convicting six individuals, including two citizens and four residents of Yemeni and Palestinian nationalities, on charges of involvement in a commercial cover-up crime in the contracting, medical equipment, and tobacco sectors.
Commercial cover-up crime
The ruling also included defamation of:
Saleh bin Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Marzouq (Saudi nationality)
Bandar bin Fahd bin Abdullah Al-Hamid (Saudi nationality)
Saddam Razaz Ahmed Hamoud (Yemeni nationality)
Haitham Razzaz Ahmed Hamoud (Yemeni nationality)
Bassam Razzaz Ahmed Hamoud (Yemeni nationality)
Ahmed Shawqi Ataya Al-Tanani (Palestinian nationality)
The ministry explained that investigations proved that the citizens enabled the four expatriates to conduct commercial activities on their own account without an investment license, granting them absolute authority to manage a company and four commercial establishments, in violation of the provisions of the Anti-Cover-Up Law. The investigations also revealed an unjustified increase in the financial transactions of the covered-up individuals compared to their official income and professions as sales representatives, in addition to their transfer of funds obtained from their illegal activities outside the Kingdom.
Penalty details
The court ruling included the following:
Confiscation of the proceeds of the crime amounting to 239,292,602.25 Saudi riyals
26 vehicles used in the illegal activity were confiscated.
Two years imprisonment for the second cover-up and all those covered up for them
A fine of 350,000 riyals will be imposed on those convicted.
Publishing a summary of the court ruling in two local newspapers at the expense of the convicts.
accessory penalties
Additional sanctions also included:
Closing and liquidating violating facilities
Cancellation of licenses and deletion of commercial records
Collection of zakat, fees and taxes due
Deporting those covered up from the Kingdom and not allowing them to return to work
Warning message from the Ministry
The Ministry of Commerce confirmed that the Anti-Cover-Up Law stipulates penalties of up to five years in prison and fines of up to five million riyals, in addition to the confiscation of illicit funds following final court rulings.
The Ministry continues its efforts, in cooperation with relevant authorities, to monitor and control commercial cover-up violations and encourages citizens and residents to report any similar cases to maintain a fair and safe commercial environment.
